One Year Bible, May 7

1 SAMUEL 1:1-2:21                                                                                                    

BOOK OF SAMUEL: "Samuel" means "Instructed by God" or "hears God".  The book was written by Samuel the prophet, and finished by Nathan, another prophet.  In this book it is revealed that God is Sovereign and in control of all history. That all things work toward God's purpose. That disobedience brings rejection, and kingdom leaders must be people of prayer and obedience. The PURPOSE of the book is to preserve the godly line through Judah to Jesus, and to show the transition to Kingdom life with the King.

TRANSITION TO KINGDOM LIFE: We are going from reliance on "what works", to reliance on only God.  From mixture (flesh and spirit) to sanctification. The grace to overcome instead of overlook.  A preoccupation with what pleases God.

THREE BIOGRAPHIES: Samuel, Saul, and David.

SAMUEL: The priest of God.  Last Judge and first Prophet.   A man of prayer and worship, with a reputation as an intercessor.  He carried divine authority and was godly.   He was actually the founder of the monarchy.  He took Saul down and put David up with WORDS.

SAUL:  The first king of Israel.  A man after the people's heart, and of the people's choosing.   He would not bend his will to obey God, and so God abandoned him.   Saul was arrogant, self-willed, broke God's laws, and was unfaithful to God.

JONATHAN:   Sauls' son, and David's best friend.   Jonathan's failure and death were because he tried to embrace both the OLD and the NEW - thus, his "wineskin burst" (Luke 5:37).   He wanted to rule and reign with David without suffering and dying to self.

DAVID:   The second king of Israel.   A man after God's heart, and of God's choosing.  David was "God's anointed", and reigned according to the will of God.

CHAPTERS 1 AND 2

ELI:  Was a big fat priest with two sons, Hophni (means "violent") and Phinehas (means "bold or brazen").   Eli represents a religious spirit, antichristian, a substitute for the real thing. He was blind and would not discipline his sons.

HANNAH:   Her name means "grace" and she had "a worthy portion".   Although barren, the God of the Heavenly Armies answered her by giving her Samuel to bring order back to His House and His nation.   Samuel became Hannah's sacrifice.  If it weren't for Hannah's intercession, the next priest would have been Ichobod (which means "the glory has departed").

THE CONTRAST:   Eli's sons sinned and caused the Lord's people to sin. Samuel grew in favor with God and man.   Samuel was born into an era where there was no revelation of God; Eli had allowed the candlestick to go out (3:3).   Eli and his sons were a reflection of the condition of the nation.  Their antichristian spirit was manifested in their lawlessness and rebellion.   Samuel, on the other hand, was submissive to authority (even though Eli was evil) and was the product of "Grace" (Hannah).

RESPONSE:   I don't know if I am going to like this book. It shows us the ugliness of the flesh like it really is - and the death it must die.  But, anything we go through to get to the Kingdom of God is worth the pain.   It is, after all, the "Pearl of Great Price" (Matt 13), "the Treasure".   On the other hand, when we rebel against the correction of God, we will suffer greater pain.  Again, either die to SELF or get bitter and disqualify yourself for the Kingdom and the King.

JOHN 5:1-23                                                                                                                      

CONTEXT: John's purpose in writing this Gospel is to give the revelation of Jesus as the pre-existent, Divine LOGOS - the manifestation of God.   The signs were all to lead us to FAITH ("belief" - a key word in this Gospel.)  This is the reason that the "I am" statements by Jesus appear exclusively in John.   Jesus as the ONLY TRUTH, ONLY WAY, ONLY LIFE (John 14:6) are stressed and proven.   In turn, TRUTH makes demands on us that grace makes possible. And so, "of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16) That's grace UPON grace, like a layered cake.

CONFRONTING UNBELIEF: Jesus continually confronts unbelief, because He is establishing Himself as the ONLY WAY, and the ONLY LIFE, and the ONLY TRUTH.   Some unbelief is due to ignorance and those people will believe Him quickly.  Some unbelief is due to our own agenda and we are trapped in self-centeredness and self-promotion; it might take more evidence for these.   Some unbelief is just plain refusing to be persuaded.   Jesus tackles them all!  And they don't stop Him from pressing forward.

IMPOTENT MAN: First of all, "impotent" is an old English word that means "feeble, weak, crippled, unable to walk".   What is important to notice is that this man's life has been wasted in unbelief, fear and the ignorance of God.   His excuses were just that: excuses for unbelief.   He blamed everyone else!   Note also that he had been there 38 YEARS. **See Deut 2:14-15 for the significance of that: 38 years is what Israel spent in the Wilderness waiting for the generation of fear and unbelief to die off.  Jesus confronted the man's real problem: UNBELIEF.

HOW DID THE MAN COME TO FAITH?  By obeying Jesus' command to get out of bed!  Quit blaming someone else and start walking. So what if everyone else is a hypocrite?  YOU walk! So what if no one loves you enough to help you?  YOU get out of bed and walk!  Take responsibility for your own life.  Get out of bed. 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS "SIGN":   All who hear Jesus' voice can be "quickened" - given life - enabling them to get out of bed and walk - even the physically dead!   The judging part comes as to what you are resurrected TO - eternal LIFE or eternal DEATH.   The significance is our need to make a decision about Who Jesus is NOW, before HE calls you from your grave.

RESPONSE:   Those of extreme unbelief (refusing to be persuaded) want to KILL JESUS. They are taken over by an antichristian spirit, the "world-spirit".  They are not interested in anything that threatens their status quo.  But here Jesus says that because He is THE LIFE, we default to DEATH if we do not believe.   We just sit by the pool, unable to live because of our unbelief and fear.   Wouldn't it be better to quit blaming others and WALK in faith?

PSALM 105:37-45                                                                                                         
God has given us the nations (V.44) - not to OWN them, but to take responsibility for their spiritual condition. It is in order "that they might observe His statues and keep His laws."

PROVERBS 14:28-29                                                                                                  
If you call yourself a leader, and no one is following you, you are just taking a walk! If you "fly off the handle in anger", your foolishness is obvious to everyone who sees you. Being angry makes you do stupid things and say stupid stuff.

RESPONSE:   The word "rule" in the NT is actually the word for "shepherd" and suggests responsibility, not privilege.   So, we inherit only what we can take care of (occupy).  There is no limit because "the meek inherit the earth".   As a Christian, we can have anything we want! Just make sure it isn't quail!